The Dallas Mavericks are grappling with one of their toughest stretches of the season. Hosting the Los Angeles Lakers tonight in the second game of a back-to-back, they’re desperate to end a five-game losing streak. The skid threatens to match their worst run since early 2021. Compounding their woes, key players Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, and Daniel Gafford are all sidelined.

Head coach Jason Kidd has made it clear: the team’s hopes hinge on Klay Thompson stepping up this season. For a squad riddled with injuries, the former Splash Bro’s performance could define their season.

The Dallas side’s head coach didn’t mince words before tonight’s Lakers matchup, saying, “Yeah, when your two quarterbacks are out and they can generate open shots, it can be a little different. And so for Klay, it’s continue to keep moving him, get him in different situations, and hopefully we can get him those wide-open looks. But a majority of those looks are going to be contested, because of the quarterbacks that are out. So I think he’s been in this situation before.”

“He’s a vet, he’s a champion. He understands what is happening right now. And I think again, I thought he set the tone for us early in that Memphis game and we don’t need that again tonight,” Kidd concluded.

At 33, Klay Thompson is no stranger to carrying the weight of lofty expectations. A five-time NBA All-Star, four-time champion, and Olympic gold medalist, he’s built for moments like this. But this time, the challenge is different—anchoring a depleted Mavericks team searching desperately for answers amid a brutal losing streak.

“It feels like we’re losing someone every day,” Jason Kidd earlier admitted. “You can’t replace Luka or Kai, so it’s going to take a full team effort.” Let’s dive deeper into what the Mavs head coach means by this.

Klay Thompson: A Champion in the eye of the storm

Dallas entered tonight’s game with their roster in shambles. Luka Doncic, their engine on both ends of the court, has been out since Christmas with a calf strain. The team’s leading scorer, Doncic, was averaging 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists per game before the injury. Kyrie Irving, who’s been lighting it up with 24.3 points and 4.9 assists per game, is sidelined by a bulging disc in his back and is expected to miss at least one-to-two weeks, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Add to that Daniel Gafford’s ankle sprain from Monday’s loss to Memphis, and the Mavericks’ depth has taken a major hit. Gafford, averaging 11.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game, is also expected to miss time.

In his last five games, Klay has been averaging 14.2 points and shooting a paltry 31.3% from the field. But hey, there’s always hope, like Thompson’s 16-point night with 54.5% shooting versus Houston. The Mavs need that version of Klay in the building tonight!

For the fans, this Lakers game is not only about breaking a five-game losing streak. It’s more about finding that flicker of hope that seems lost at this time. Over the years, sniper Klay has always backed up key and clutch moments of his career so well. Time to deliver once again. Can the man with the endless championship experience write a new story for the ailing team?

Time catches up; lots at stake. All eyes are on Klay Thompson, as he takes center stage to lead Dallas through this storm.